The present invention relates to a motif playing apparatus which automatically plays an ad-lib motif. More particularly, this invention is directed to a motif playing apparatus which can permit a user to change a fixed ad-lib motif to an arbitrarily one, specifically, to ad-lib motif having an arbitrary content and length, and can easily synchronize individual parts.
Recently, playing apparatuses (electronic musical instruments) having an auto play function to automatically perform a chord accompaniment are well known. To use such a playing apparatus with an auto play function to perform auto accompaniment, start the auto rhythm play first, then operate a key defined for the accompaniment. This key operation causes the playing apparatus to generate chord and root accompaniment tones assigned to this key interlockingly with the auto rhythm play.
Further, the present inventors have proposed an electronic musical instrument of the above type, which holds multiple types of motif data and plays a motif upon depression of a key assigned to select motif data, and have already filed a patent application for this instrument in Japanese Patent Office (Patent Application No. 63-306507).
According to such a playing apparatus, a motif is released based only on the content (motif data) stored in a fixed storage device, such as a ROM (Read Only Memory). Therefore, a user cannot freely alter the content, and the length of the motif to be generated is restricted to one bar, for example, thus limiting the user's enjoyment of playing music.
According to this type of motif playing apparatus, an automatic part, such as a rhythm, bass or chord, which is to be automatically played, and a melody part as an ad-lib motif, which is generated upon depression of the associated keys, should be synchronized at the proper timing by the user. Taking the exact timing is very difficult, and missing the timing would kill music.